Celebration Center

Resistance. James teaches us that though we will all face temptation, we don't have to be overwhelmed by it. In fact, we can partner with God to resist. When we recognize that some of our greatest internal and external battles come from wanting the wrong things for the wrong reasons, we can learn to trust God in new ways. [Creed Audio Clip - Copyright MGM, Warner Brothers, New Line Cinema] - [God is Better Audio Clip - Copyright Francis Chan]

“…and God said...” When God created the universe – He spoke. From that moment on, it was clear that words are incredibly powerful. The bible tells us that the power of life and death are in the tongue. As people created in the image of God, we have to be incredibly aware of how we use our words. James warns us that great fires begin as a small spark. Knowing when to speak and choosing to speak life can make all the difference.

James the brother of Jesus writes to us in Chapter 2 that one of the pitfalls followers of Jesus should avoid is playing favorites. Often times we fall into a trap of treating people differently based on what we think that person can do for us. But God the Father modeled a love that was freely given to all – genuinely caring for who the person is and not just what they could do. A true Father’s love, the love God modeled for us, doesn’t give some people special treatment, but sees the incredible value in every one of us.

James, the brother of Jesus, lays out for us some very practical keys to living life as a follower of Jesus. One such key challenges us to take our faith and put momentum on it. Learning is important, but action changes things. James asserts that there is a “dead” faith and we have to guard against it! Join us as we figure out how to put our faith into action.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds. Doesn’t that sound like fun? Trials of many kinds! Oh yea! What was James thinking when he asked us to consider this pure joy? James knew that the secret to our attitude lies in our thinking, and that the way we think about our trials, and ourselves, can change everything. Let’s see what life hack James has for our thoughts that will cause us to rejoice about our trials.

When you have a mess to address, first options aren’t usually the best options. First options often make messes messier. Sometimes what appears to be the easiest path actually leads to a larger mess! In this message, we explore an approach that can take the "er" out of your messy situations.

Jesus told us to love our neighbors as ourselves. But that’s easier said than done. What are the limits of our responsibility to others? How can we love people that are difficult to even like? How do we embrace messy people? Jesus gives us a model for moving towards the mess.

A common misperception is that the Christian life is all about avoiding messes and staying out of trouble. However following Jesus is not about avoiding the mess; it’s a journey towards becoming more like him. Jesus invited people to follow him while they were still a mess! The more time we spend with him, the more like him we become.

We have all experienced the mess! One of the great realities of our faith is that Jesus comes and meets us right in our mess. We don’t have to get it all together before we are ready for a relationship with God. In fact, your mess has the potential to bring God near you. Once we acknowledge that we are all a mess, we can recognize that we all need the grace God provides.

Whether we are religious or not, we’ve all been in, are in, or are only one decision away from a mess. Often times we can be critical of the messes we see in others, yet dismiss the mess that is in us. But behind every mess, there is a story. Your story and your mess have a powerful connection to your relationship with God.

On Easter, we don't celebrate a collection of teachings. We don't celebrate an idea. We celebrate an event . . . an event in history that changed history. Men and women who were present, met Jesus on the other side of the grave, and it changed everything for them. In a culture that threatened to punish and isolate them, they held on to what they knew was true. He is Risen… He is Risen indeed.

Often times when things don’t work out according to plan, we become frustrated with God. When we play the comparison game, and see others seemingly blessed more than us, we can become frustrated with God. Sometimes when things haven’t worked out for a long time, we even turn away from God. If we believe God is personally invested in our lives, then it is possible in the toughest times to turn towards God. That first Easter, the other men on their crosses faced a decision. As a result, one missed Easter.

Understanding and listening to your longings is essential to finding our way back to God. God knows who you really are, and I want to challenge you to believe that God wants to be found even more than you want to find him.

In the days and weeks leading up to Easter, several people find their way into the story. They are close to what is happening, but because they are focused on the wrong things, they miss what God is doing in the world. More importantly they miss who Jesus really is. Join us this week as we meet Caiaphas, and realize that with the right position but wrong vantage point, we miss Jesus.

Sometimes the winter seems long. The dormant season seems never-ending. Moses was a leader with great promise in a place with great need. But after a moment of failure and disappointment, Moses found himself in a long “winter” season where he believed his call had gone dormant. But God still believed in him. Sometimes we need a reminder that God still believes in us. But be careful, because that reminder may just launch us out of our “Winter” and into a “Spring” of new life and a new normal!

Live United - Disconnected body parts are gross. Paul tells us that the Church is one body, made of many parts. There is a beautiful symmetry when we work together and partner. The body needs all of its parts to be at maximum efficiency – and those parts have purpose and accomplish more when connected to one another. Here at Celebration Center we recognize that we do the most good, and fulfill the mission of the Church when we “Live United”.

How and why do we do this thing we do? How do we work out loving like Jesus? Join us as we explore what it looks like to live out and put into action being the church in our neighborhoods, families and homes.

There is a direct connection from our treasure to our heart. So it is very important that we treasure the right things! The things we treasure live in our heart – so we have to choose what we will let in! Here Jesus teaches us to never be mastered by things that don’t last.

Do not deny me. What an incredible statement of Jesus. Our faith on display in the earth matters. Jesus calls us to be his ambassadors here on earth. There will be folks that don’t appreciate us standing up for Jesus, and he warns us not to fear them… I wonder how often in our day to day lives we accidentally deny Jesus… lets explore.

When we judge others, we assume the high ground. Jesus challenges us, that if we are going to be honest judges, we have to begin by first evaluating our own hearts, and lives. Then from a place of wholeness, we can encourage life in others. Often we assume the high ground and stand in judgment, when, from God's vantage point we should be lifting others up!